Kimberlyn: To jumpstart your year, we are coming to you every day this month with many bite sized episodes that are going to help you get reflecting on what's working and what's not in your parenting and productivity journey. Our goal with the series is to create momentum and spark creativity so that you can start your new year with clarity and intention.

Hey guys, I am Kimberlyn and I'm coming at you with day Three of our jump start your year series. And today I'm going to be reflecting on the question and I think this is a good one. How do you deal with a long to do list and decision fatigue? I Think a lot of times y'all, this is my I wouldn't say it's a daily issue.

I think it is like when things get, you know, overwhelming, things get hard that to do list gets long, especially right now, y'all we've just come out of Christmas season. My mom was here visiting my mother in law is actually currently here visiting and so there's just like so many things to do presents to buy house to clean.

Just all the things. And I think that it's really easy to get into this overwhelm of like, what do I do? Where do I start? And I think that honestly, like, I've, on the one hand, I've gotten really good at like, during the normal season, during the normal, you know What do you call it? Like, non Christmas season, non holiday season.

I've gotten really good at, at making sure I don't have long to do lists, but but when I do have one, there's definitely that like feeling of dread, like, where do I even start? Right. anD for me, honestly, how do I deal with decision fatigue? I have a tendency and this is like, this is me. I have a tendency to really kind of get.

Paralyzed when I've got a lot of things to do. And I kind of react almost in like a rebellious way. I kind of just I freeze. I refuse to do anything. I kind of get into this, like, hole where I. Will just kind of wallow in that, like there's so much to do. There's so, you know, so many things I got to get done.

But I've learned actually, cause you know, in the past it would have been like, okay, get your ass up, go do something. And I've learned that this is actually part of my process. It's part of my, like, I have to feel the overwhelm. I have to feel the stress. I have to feel, that like, ick in order to kind of bounce back and start getting things done.

So in my case. This is just how I work is I will like sit in it. I'll sit in my shit. I'll sit in my like sadness or, you know, frustration or anger and the fact that I have all these things to do. And then what I will do is. You know, once I, like, I'll feel it in my body. I'll feel it in my body where my body is like, get your ass up.

There you go. So I do eventually get to the point where I'm like, get your ass up, but it's, it's more of a feeling my body than like me telling myself that I have to get it done. And usually like I, my process actually tends to start either. In myself, right with me, or it will start in my immediate environment.

Like, so, for example, um, super concrete this past week, right? I've we've had visitors. And my, 1st order of business is generally, or it has been to start with my home. Right? there's something about, like, Working or doing things for myself where I need the space that I'm in to be conducive to that kind of high level functioning. So if my space is kind of out of whack, that's usually actually where most of my overwhelm comes from.

And so I will literally just start. I will start with something that is. Easy. That is kind of routine. One of actually things I've noticed if I'm having kind of a resistance around starting is I will pop in some in my AirPods. I will put on music or podcast or something just to kind of get out of my head and just move.

And so I will pop in those AirPods. I will generally start with something like washing dishes or laundry, something that is very kind of concrete and like reduced to a specific. Area, and then I'll use that to gain momentum. And so I just I follow kind of the natural order that I would normally follow if I were cleaning my house.

And so I'll do my, you know, I'll do the dishes and then I'll put it in a load of laundry or I'll take out a load of laundry, hang it up or I'll, you know, because I I don't really use the dryer much. So we either hang up or put away clothes. And so I'll kind of follow that order that just feels natural.

And then that will, you know, be like, okay, well, now I'm going to vacuum after that is done, which, you know, is obviously like more of a whole house thing, but I just get the momentum and those little kind of routine activities that I'm used to doing yeah. with the help, obviously, of like music or podcast or something to kind of get me out of my head and not thinking about how much I don't want to be doing it.

aNd then, so I'll start with my house and so that once the house is, is done, and then I'll usually go to myself. I'll usually, you know, be like, okay, do I need a shower? Do I need to change clothes? Do I need to eat something? Obviously like. If before all of this happens, like I need to go to the bathroom or I need to, you know, eat or or if I really, really just like need to go for a walk.

I will do that before the house thing. But but that's also like, really going intuitive and trying to listen to my body and what it's telling me that I need. So I really I go first. It's. Like house, like the environment around me. Then it's me and then I can finally sit down and get that kind of functional work done.

If I have to get work done, if I have to whether that's a translation or work for the podcast or whatnot then I will focus on that. I also, when I have a really long to do list, like. Honestly, you gotta, you gotta eliminate some things. You gotta take a moment and say, you know, like, what's really necessary on here?

And what can I, you know, um, what can I ease up on? I think a lot of times, like, as, you know, a highly ambitious woman, there are things on the list that, like, in an ideal world would get done. And I think also, like, you know, Once I've, I've kind of cleared that space and cleared that, like, environmental conflict chaos, if you will.

And once I've, you know, taken care of my own needs, it's a little bit easier for me to see, like, okay, you know what, like, this is something that I can do You know, I can delegate this is something that doesn't need to happen. This is something that, you know, I can do, but, like, in 2 weeks, like, it's not necessary right now.

 But I really have to kind of, like, almost like an onion, like the layers of, like, let me, you know. Make sure that I am in these certain needs are taken care of. And then it's easier for me to see, like, what can actually what can actually go. 

So that's my process. For handling a long to-do list and decision fatigue. I would love to know what your process is. So if you are following along with us on the email list go. Go ahead and hit reply to those emails. Let us know. What it is you do to kind of handle a long to-do list. How do you deal with decision fatigue. And and if you're not on the email list, you can always hit us up on, on Instagram. Or you can get on the email list. 

So if you liked this episode, we would also just love to invite you to the village, which is our community and co-work space. With opportunities for connection, accountability, intention setting. Once again, check out the link in the show notes. For upcoming meetups and to follow along with our daily prompts and to get our email list and all the things. 

So see you guys next time.